Birth: March 16, 1751 Death: June 28, 1863 Terms: March 4, 1809- March 3, 1817 Vice president(s): George Clinton (died in office April 20, 1812), (Elbridge Gerry 1813-1814) Political Party: Democratic-Republican
James Madison, The father of the constitution, a founding father. On March 4, 1817 this founding father became president of the United States of America the nation he had helped to create. Being the Fourth president of the united state many things were well established for the young nation. Madison stepped into office with one problem, foreign trade with Britain and France. Both were powerful Nations and one false move could mean end to the United States. If one was to grade Madison on his performance as president the best grade to give would be a B-. This would be the case because Many good and bad things came with the second war against Britain which lead to the era of good feelings at the end of his presidency.
The goals of Madison's presidency were mainly to keep foreign relations with both Britain and France well. Madison Handled this very well by Enforcing Macon's Bill No.2 which enabled trade with both countries and gave them the opportunity to drop restrictions on American shipping in which the U.S. would prohibit trade with the other country. France dropped restrictions and this ultimatley condemned Britain which lead to war. This helped the American relations with France which was less hostile than Britain, but created a larger threat because not only was the U.S. at war with Britain but also with the Native American Confederacy. This was another minor goal of the Madison Administration to end the Native American Hostility for the Native Americans had created a Confederacy that was fighting for the British.
President Madison had a small voice over congress during his two terms. Most decisions that Madison did not agree upon like Macon's bill No.2 were not challenged by Madison. Although this was the case Madison had a relationship with congress because most of the party members in both houses were Democratic-Republicans. During his first term the senate had 27 Democratic Republicans and 9 federalists and in the house there were 112 Democratic republicans and 68 federalists. When congress changed on March 4th, 1815 there were 25 Democratic Republicans and 11 federalists in the Senate and 117 Democratic Republicans and 65 federalists in the House. During both his terms the majority of both houses were Democratic Republicans which made things much more comprimisable between congress and Madison. This helped Madison's presidency because he and congress saw eye to eye on most decisions like declaring war on Britain. Most of congress was young ambitious men that wanted to declare war with Brittian eagerly which was one disagreement of Madison for he wanted to go along with the presidents before him and keep peace and defend the young nation. This was the only major disagreement between Madison and congress.
The most positive and negative action of Madison and His Administration would have to be the war with Britain. This was a positive action because it secured peace with France which meant they would not have to fight maybe the most powerful nation at the time which would have probably easily destroyed the United states. This was also a positive action because most of the nation disliked the British at the time more than the french because they were former enemies, this decision ultimately rose Madison's Popularity. There were many great victories that created Hero's like Andrew Jackson, this established a war that was a draw between the two countries. This established the United states Canadian boreder to dived the two countries and threw off any Brittish invasion of America again. With the draw came once again trade between the United states and Britain and peace with all other countries. After "Mr. Madison's War" the United states went in to " the Era of Good Feelings" which further established the Nation as a full fleged nation, all of this happened because of Madison's decision to enter war. Another positive decision of Madison was the creation of the second national bank, because of this the Nation could now fund for any war like the war of 1812 that was very expensive.
The war of 1812 was also Madison's most negative outcome of his presidency. Madison's entering of war with Britain was a lose lose situation for both sides, and because of this the United states gained nothing out of the outcome besides maybe the relief of not being at war with Britain. This was also a bad cause because the British invaded the United states, in which they burned, killed and raged upon the towns most signifigantly, the burning of the white house this was a major part of why the war ended up as a draw.
James Madison had much influence on the Nation and future presidents to come. He overall established to Britain that the United states was its own independent Nation, which ended any threat of war with Britain again. With his decisions he furthered trade with all nationsincluding Britain at the end of the war. Madison by his lack of voice over congress during his first term set an exampe for presidents to be involved with congress to make better decisions for the country. By all of his decisions at the end of his presidency the United states was in the era of good feelings which set an example to the nation that out of bad things good things can come.
James Madison at the end of his presidency had become more popular than he was when he was elected. His administration had overcome the threat of the powerful nation of Britain, and had proved to not only Britain but also to other countries around the world that it was a force that was on its way to becoming a world power. James Madison and his administration deserves a B- because the war with Britain was not only good for the nation but bad for it as well. With this said Madison's presidency was one of the more sucessful presidencies in the history of the United states. Bibliography
James Madison
Birth: March 16, 1751Death: June 28, 1863
Terms: March 4, 1809- March 3, 1817
Vice president(s): George Clinton (died in office April 20, 1812), (Elbridge Gerry 1813-1814)
Political Party: Democratic-Republican
James Madison, The father of the constitution, a founding father. On March 4, 1817 this founding father became president of the United States of America the nation he had helped to create. Being the Fourth president of the united state many things were well established for the young nation. Madison stepped into office with one problem, foreign trade with Britain and France. Both were powerful Nations and one false move could mean end to the United States. If one was to grade Madison on his performance as president the best grade to give would be a B-. This would be the case because Many good and bad things came with the second war against Britain which lead to the era of good feelings at the end of his presidency.
The goals of Madison's presidency were mainly to keep foreign relations with both Britain and France well. Madison Handled this very well by Enforcing Macon's Bill No.2 which enabled trade with both countries and gave them the opportunity to drop restrictions on American shipping in which the U.S. would prohibit trade with the other country. France dropped restrictions and this ultimatley condemned Britain which lead to war. This helped the American relations with France which was less hostile than Britain, but created a larger threat because not only was the U.S. at war with Britain but also with the Native American Confederacy. This was another minor goal of the Madison Administration to end the Native American Hostility for the Native Americans had created a Confederacy that was fighting for the British.
President Madison had a small voice over congress during his two terms. Most decisions that Madison did not agree upon like Macon's bill No.2 were not challenged by Madison. Although this was the case Madison had a relationship with congress because most of the party members in both houses were Democratic-Republicans. During his first term the senate had 27 Democratic Republicans and 9 federalists and in the house there were 112 Democratic republicans and 68 federalists. When congress changed on March 4th, 1815 there were 25 Democratic Republicans and 11 federalists in the Senate and 117 Democratic Republicans and 65 federalists in the House. During both his terms the majority of both houses were Democratic Republicans which made things much more comprimisable between congress and Madison. This helped Madison's presidency because he and congress saw eye to eye on most decisions like declaring war on Britain. Most of congress was young ambitious men that wanted to declare war with Brittian eagerly which was one disagreement of Madison for he wanted to go along with the presidents before him and keep peace and defend the young nation. This was the only major disagreement between Madison and congress.
The most positive and negative action of Madison and His Administration would have to be the war with Britain. This was a positive action because it secured peace with France which meant they would not have to fight maybe the most powerful nation at the time which would have probably easily destroyed the United states. This was also a positive action because most of the nation disliked the British at the time more than the french because they were former enemies, this decision ultimately rose Madison's Popularity. There were many great victories that created Hero's like Andrew Jackson, this established a war that was a draw between the two countries. This established the United states Canadian boreder to dived the two countries and threw off any Brittish invasion of America again. With the draw came once again trade between the United states and Britain and peace with all other countries. After "Mr. Madison's War" the United states went in to " the Era of Good Feelings" which further established the Nation as a full fleged nation, all of this happened because of Madison's decision to enter war. Another positive decision of Madison was the creation of the second national bank, because of this the Nation could now fund for any war like the war of 1812 that was very expensive.
The war of 1812 was also Madison's most negative outcome of his presidency. Madison's entering of war with Britain was a lose lose situation for both sides, and because of this the United states gained nothing out of the outcome besides maybe the relief of not being at war with Britain. This was also a bad cause because the British invaded the United states, in which they burned, killed and raged upon the towns most signifigantly, the burning of the white house this was a major part of why the war ended up as a draw.
James Madison had much influence on the Nation and future presidents to come. He overall established to Britain that the United states was its own independent Nation, which ended any threat of war with Britain again. With his decisions he furthered trade with all nationsincluding Britain at the end of the war. Madison by his lack of voice over congress during his first term set an exampe for presidents to be involved with congress to make better decisions for the country. By all of his decisions at the end of his presidency the United states was in the era of good feelings which set an example to the nation that out of bad things good things can come.
James Madison at the end of his presidency had become more popular than he was when he was elected. His administration had overcome the threat of the powerful nation of Britain, and had proved to not only Britain but also to other countries around the world that it was a force that was on its way to becoming a world power. James Madison and his administration deserves a B- because the war with Britain was not only good for the nation but bad for it as well. With this said Madison's presidency was one of the more sucessful presidencies in the history of the United states.
Bibliography
"American President: James Madison." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 24 Sept. 2009. <http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/madison>.
"Biography of James Madison." Welcome to the White House. White House U.S. Government. Web. 24 Sept. 2009. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/jamesmadison/>.
"Second Bank." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Assosiation, 4 July 1995. Web. 24 Sept. 2009. <http://www.ushistory.org/gop/tour_secondbank.htm>.
Smith, Carter. Presidents Every Question Answered. Irvington, New York: Hylas publishing, 2004